PhD Discussion Forum

The following thread is brought to you by our sister Web site PostgraduateForum.com. If you wish to reply or post your own thread, you will be redirected to this site.

Search Forum Post new topic

16 to 17 of 17 PhD Forum Posts

Post reply on Postgrad Forum | - Sort earliest to latest - | Back to topics

Author	Message
BilboBaggins [Registered User] 30 September 2010 12:27	Doing a part-time PhD at the Open University User: BilboBaggins - 30 September 2010 12:27 There are plenty of very mature PhD students in my non-OU department, so I wouldn't rule out the local possibilities so quickly. I considered an OU PhD (after leaving a science PhD I did a part-time OU BA(Hons)), but went with my local university instead, where I did my part-time Masters. I had minimal supervision. For much of my 6-years as a part-time history PhD-er I met my supervisor maybe 4 times a year, if that much. I steered my own course, defined the project myself from scratch, applied for AHRC funding part-way through my first year and won it, and decided the structure that my thesis would take, and just got on with it. I think my background as an OU student encouraged me to be more independent than other students might have been. I do have a good online friend who recently passed his OU PhD viva. I got back in touch with him towards the end of his PhD though, so don't know how good his support was in the earlier stages. He got good advice in the run-up to the viva though, including a DVD preparing him for it. I could have done with that :p
beercat [Registered User] 30 September 2010 10:45	User: beercat - 30 September 2010 10:45 I'm a prospective PhD student, planning to do a part-time, self-funded PhD, but need some advice from current PhD students. I'm a late starter - I didn't get my first degree until I was 38, then did a full-time MSc when I was 40 and a part-time MSc in my late 40s. I'll be 59 when (if) I start my PhD. I've been told by a friend who started her PhD in her 30s that I may have problems finding a supervisor at a local uni (North East or North West) because of my age. I am considering registering with the Open University as I think they are more likely to take me on. I'd be quite happy working with minimal face-to-face supervision and my subject area lends itself to online working. I'm going along to the Postgraduate Fair in Manchester in November to find out more, but does anyone out there have experience of the OU, or of doing a PhD with minimal supervision?

Author

Message

BilboBaggins

[Registered User]
30 September 2010 12:27

Doing a part-time PhD at the Open University

User: BilboBaggins - 30 September 2010 12:27

There are plenty of very mature PhD students in my non-OU department, so I wouldn't rule out the local possibilities so quickly.

I considered an OU PhD (after leaving a science PhD I did a part-time OU BA(Hons)), but went with my local university instead, where I did my part-time Masters.

I had minimal supervision. For much of my 6-years as a part-time history PhD-er I met my supervisor maybe 4 times a year, if that much. I steered my own course, defined the project myself from scratch, applied for AHRC funding part-way through my first year and won it, and decided the structure that my thesis would take, and just got on with it. I think my background as an OU student encouraged me to be more independent than other students might have been.

I do have a good online friend who recently passed his OU PhD viva. I got back in touch with him towards the end of his PhD though, so don't know how good his support was in the earlier stages. He got good advice in the run-up to the viva though, including a DVD preparing him for it. I could have done with that :p

beercat

[Registered User]
30 September 2010 10:45

User: beercat - 30 September 2010 10:45

I'm a prospective PhD student, planning to do a part-time, self-funded PhD, but need some advice from current PhD students. I'm a late starter - I didn't get my first degree until I was 38, then did a full-time MSc when I was 40 and a part-time MSc in my late 40s. I'll be 59 when (if) I start my PhD. I've been told by a friend who started her PhD in her 30s that I may have problems finding a supervisor at a local uni (North East or North West) because of my age. I am considering registering with the Open University as I think they are more likely to take me on. I'd be quite happy working with minimal face-to-face supervision and my subject area lends itself to online working. I'm going along to the Postgraduate Fair in Manchester in November to find out more, but does anyone out there have experience of the OU, or of doing a PhD with minimal supervision?

16 to 17 of 17 PhD Forum Posts